the essays of montaigne, v15-第9章

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The　sciences　treat　of　things　too　refinedly；　after　an　artificial；　very
different　from　the　common　and　natural；　way。　　My　page　makes　love；　and
understands　it；　but　read　to　him　Leo　Hebraeus　＇Leo　the　Jew；　Ficinus；
Cardinal　Bembo；　and　Mario　Equicola　all　wrote　Treatises　on　Love。＇
and　Ficinus；　where　they　speak　of　love；　its　thoughts　and　actions；　he
understands　it　not。　　I　do　not　find　in　Aristotle　most　of　my　ordinary
motions；　they　are　there　covered　and　disguised　in　another　robe　for　the　use
of　the　schools。　　Good　speed　them！　were　I　of　the　trade；　I　would　as　much
naturalise　art　as　they　artificialise　nature。　　Let　us　let　Bembo　and
Equicola　alone。

When　I　write；　I　can　very　well　spare　both　the　company　and　the　remembrance
of　books；　lest　they　should　interrupt　my　progress；　and　also；　in　truth；　the
best　authors　too　much　humble　and　discourage　me：　I　am　very　much　of　the
painter's　mind；　who；　having　represented　cocks　most　wretchedly　ill；
charged　all　his　boys　not　to　suffer　any　natural　cock　to　come　into　his
shop；　and　had　rather　need　to　give　myself　a　little　lustre；　of　the
invention　of　Antigenides　the　musician；　who；　when　he　was　asked　to　sing　or
play；　took　care　beforehand　that　the　auditory　should；　either　before　or
after；　be　satiated　with　some　other　ill　musicians。　　But　I　can　hardly　be
without　Plutarch；　he　is　so　universal　and　so　full；　that　upon　all
occasions；　and　what　extravagant　subject　soever　you　take　in　hand；　he　will
still　be　at　your　elbow；　and　hold　out　to　you　a　liberal　and　not　to　be
exhausted　hand　of　riches　and　embellishments。　　It　vexes　me　that　he　is　so
exposed　to　be　the　spoil　of　those　who　are　conversant　with　him：　I　can
scarce　cast　an　eye　upon　him　but　I　purloin　either　a　leg　or　a　wing。

And　also　for　this　design　of　mine　'tis　convenient　for　me　for　me　to　write
at　home；　in　a　wild　country；　where　I　have　nobody　to　assist　or　relieve　me；
where　I　hardly　see　a　man　who　understands　the　Latin　of　his　Paternoster；
and　of　French　a　little　less。　　I　might　have　made　it　better　elsewhere；　but
then　the　work　would　have　been　less　my　own；　and　its　principal　end　and
perfection　is　to　be　exactly　mine。　　I　readily　correct　an　accidental　error；
of　which　I　am　full；　as　I　run　carelessly　on；　but　for　my　ordinary　and
constant　imperfections；　it　were　a　kind　of　treason　to　put　them　out。　　When
another　tells　me；　or　that　I　say　to　myself；　〃Thou　art　too　thick　of
figures：　this　is　a　word　of　rough　Gascon：　that　is　a　dangerous　phrase　（I　do
not　reject　any　of　those　that　are　used　in　the　common　streets　of　France；
they　who　would　fight　custom　with　grammar　are　triflers）：　this　is　an
ignorant　discourse：　this　is　a　paradoxical　discourse：　that　is　going　too
far：　thou　makest　thyself　too　merry　at　times：　men　will　think　thou　sayest　a
thing　in　good　earnest　which　thou　only　speakest　in　jest。〃〃Yes；　I　know；
but　I　correct　the　faults　of　inadvertence；　not　those　of　custom。　　Do　I　not
talk　at　the　same　rate　throughout？　　Do　I　not　represent　myself　to　the　life？
'Tis　enough　that　I　have　done　what　I　designed；　all　the　world　knows　me　in
my　book；　and　my　book　in　me。〃

Now　I　have　an　apish；　imitative　quality：　when　I　used　to　write　verses　（and
I　never　made　any　but　Latin）；　they　evidently　discovered　the　poet　I　had
last　read；　and　some　of　my　first　essays　have　a　little　exotic　taste：　I
speak　something　another　kind　of　language　at　Paris　than　I　do　at　Montaigne。
Whoever　I　steadfastly　look　upon　easily　leaves　some　impression　of　his　upon
me；　whatever　I　consider　I　usurp；　whether　a　foolish　countenance；　a
disagreeable　look；　or　a　ridiculous　way　of　speaking；　and　vices　most　of
all；　because　they　seize　and　stick　to　me；　and　will　not　leave　hold　without
shaking。　　I　swear　more　by　imitation　than　by　complexion：　a　murderous
imitation；　like　that　of　the　apes　so　terrible　both　in　stature　and
strength；　that　Alexander　met　with　in　a　certain　country　of　the　Indies；　and
which　he　would　have　had　much　ado　any　other　way　to　have　subdued；　but　they
afforded　him　the　means　by　that　inclination　of　theirs　to　imitate　whatever
they　saw　done；　for　by　that　the　hunters　were　taught　to　put　on　shoes　in
their　sight；　and　to　tie　them　fast　with　many　knots；　and　to　muffle　up　their
heads　in　caps　all　composed　of　running　nooses；　and　to　seem　to　anoint　their
eyes　with　glue；　so　did　those　poor　beasts　employ　their　imitation　to　their
own　ruin　they　glued　up　their　own　eyes；　haltered　and　bound　themselves。
The　other　faculty　of　playing　the　mimic；　and　ingeniously　acting　the　words
and　gestures　of　another；　purposely　to　make　people　merry　and　to　raise
their　admiration；　is　no　more　in　me　than　in　a　stock。　　When　I　swear　my　own
oath；　'tis　only；　by　God！　of　all　oaths　the　most　direct。　　They　say　that
Socrates　swore　by　the　dog；　Zeno　had　for　his　oath　the　same　interjection　at
this　time　in　use　amongst　the　Italians；　Cappari！　　Pythagoras　swore　By
water　and　air。　　I　am　so　apt；　without　thinking　of　it；　to　receive　these
superficial　impressions；　that　if　I　have　Majesty　or　Highness　in　my　mouth
three　days　together；　they　come　out　instead　of　Excellency　and　Lordship
eight　days　after；　and　what　I　say　to…day　in　sport　and　fooling　I　shall　say
the　same　to…morrow　seriously。　　Wherefore；　in　writing；　I　more　unwillingly
undertake　beaten　arguments；　lest　I　should　handle　them　at　another's
expense。　　Every　subject　is　equally　fertile　to　me：　a　fly　will　serve　the
purpose；　and　'tis　well　if　this　I　have　in　hand　has　not　been　undertaken　at
the　recommendation　of　as　flighty　a　will。　　I　may　begin；　with　that　which
pleases　me　best；　for　the　subjects　are　all　linked　to　one　another。

But　my　soul　displeases　me；　in　that　it　ordinarily　produces　its　deepest　and
most　airy　conceits　and　which　please　me　best；　when　I　least　expect　or　study
for　them；　and　which　suddenly　vanish；　having　at　the　instant；　nothing　to
apply　them　to；　on　horseback；　at　table；　and　in　bed：　but　most　on　horseback；
where　I　am　most　given　to　think。　　My　speaking　is　a　little　nicely　jealous
of　silence　and　attention：　if　I　am　talking　my　best；　whoever　interrupts　me；
stops　me。　　In　travelling；　the　necessity　of　the　way　will　often　put　a　stop
to　discourse；　besides　which　I；　for　the　most　part；　travel　without　company
fit　for　regular　discourses；　by　which　means　I　have　all　the　leisure　I　would
to　entertain　myself。　　It　falls　out　as　it　does　in　my　dreams；　whilst
dreaming　I　recommend　them　to　my　memory　（for　I　am　apt　to　dream　that　I
dream）；　but；　the　next　morning；　I　may　represent　to　myself　of　what
complexion　they　were；　whether　gay；　or　sad；　or　strange；　but　what　they
were；　as　to　the　rest；　the　more　I　endeavour　to　retrieve　them；　the　deeper　I
plunge　them　in　oblivion。　　So　of　thoughts　that　come　accidentally　into　my
head；　I　have　no　more　but　a　vain　image　remaining　in　my　memory；　only　enough
to　make　me　torment　myself　in　their　quest　to　no　purpose。

Well；　then；　laying　books　aside；　and　more　simply　and　materially　speaking；
I　find；　after　all；　that　Love　is　nothing　else　but　the　thirst　of　enjoying
the　object　desired；　or　Venus　any　other　thing　than　the　pleasure　of
discharging　one's　vessels；　just　as　the　pleasure　nature　gives　in
discharging　other　parts；　that　either　by　immoderation　or　indiscretion
become　vicious。　　According　to　Socrates；　love　is　the　appetite　of
generation　by　the　mediation　of　beauty。　　And　when　I　consider　the
ridiculous　titillation　of　this　pleasure；　the　absurd；　crack…brained；　wild
motions　with　which　it　inspires　Zeno　and　Cratippus；　the　indiscreet　rage；
the　countenance　inflamed　with　fury　and　cruelty　in　the　sweetest　effects　of
love；　and　then　that　austere　air；　so　grave；　severe；　ecstatic；　in　so　wanton
an　action；　that　our　delights　and　our　excrements　are　promiscuously
shuffled　together；　and　that　the　supreme　pleasure　brings　along　with　it；　as
in　pain；　fainting　and　complaining；　I　believe　it　to　be　true；　as　Plato
says；　that　the　gods　made　man　for　their　sport：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Quaenam　ista　jocandi
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Saevitia！〃

　　　　　＇〃With　a　sportive　cruelty〃　（Or：）　〃What　an　unkindness　there　is　in
　　　　　jesting！〃Claudian　in　Eutrop。　i。　24。＇

and　that　it　was　in　mockery　that　nature　has　ordered　the　most　agitative　of
actions　and　the　most　common；　to　make　us　equal；　and　to　put　fools　and　wise
men；　beasts　and　us；　on　a　level。　　Even　the　most　contemplative　and　prudent
man；　when　I　imagine　him　in　this　posture；　I　hold　him　an　impudent　fellow　to
pretend　to　be　prudent　and　contemplative；　they　are　the　peacocks'　feet　that
abate　his　pride：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ridentem　dicere　verum
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quid　vetat？〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃What　prevents　us　from　speaking　truth　with　a　smile？〃
　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Sat。；　i。　I；　24。＇

They　who　banish　serious　imaginations　from　their　sports；　do；　says　one；
like　him　who　dares　not　adore　the　statue　of　a　saint；　if　not　covered　with　a
veil。　　We　eat　and　drink；　indeed；　as　beasts　do；　but　these　are　not　actions
that　obstruct　the　functions　of　the　soul；　in　these　we　maintain　our
advantage　over　them；　this　other　action　subjects　all　other　thought；
and　by　its　imperious　authority　makes　an　ass　of　all　Plato's　divinity　and
philosophy；　and　yet　there　is　no　complaint　of　it。　　In　everything　else　a
man　may　keep　some　decorum；　all　other　operations　submit　to　the　rules　of
decency；　this　cannot　so　much　as　in　imagination　appear　other　than　vicious
or　ridiculous：　find　out；　if　you　can；　therein　any　serious　and　discreet
procedure。　　Alexander　said；　that　he　chiefly　knew　himself　to　be　mortal　by
this　act　and　sleeping；　sleep　suffocates　and　suppresses　the　faculties　of
the　soul；　the　familiarity　with　women　likewise　dissipates　and　exhausts
them：　doubtless　'tis　a　mark；　not　only　of　our　original　corruption；　but
also　of　our　vanity　and　deformity。

On　the　one　side；　nature　pushes　us　on　to　it；　having　fixed　the　most　noble；
useful；　and　pleasant　of　all　her　functions　to　this　desire：　and；　on　the
other　side；　leaves　us　to　accuse　and　avoid　it；　as　insolent　and　indecent；
to　blush　at　it；　and　to　recommend　abstinence。　　Are　we　not　brutes　to　call
that　work　brutish　which　begets　us？　　People　of　so　many　differing　religions
have　concurred　in　several　proprieties；　as　sacrifices；　lamps；　burning
incense；　fasts；　and　offerings；　and　amongst　others；　in　the　condemning　this
act：　all　opinions　tend　that　way；　besides　the　widespread　custom　of
circumcision；　which　may　be　regarded　as　a　punishment。　　We　have；
peradventure；　reason　to　blame　ourselves　for　being　guilty　of　so　foolish
a　production　as　man；　and　to　call　the　act；　and　the　parts　that　are　employed
in　the　act；　shameful　（mine；　truly；　are　now　shameful　and　pitiful）。　　The
Essenians；　of　whom　Pliny　speaks；　kept　up　their　country　for　several　ages
without　either　nurse　or　baby…clouts；　by　the　arrival　of　strangers　who；
following　this　pretty　humour；　came　continually　to　them：　a　whole　nation
being　resolute；　rather　to　hazard　a　total　extermination；　than　to　engage
themselves　in　female　embraces；　and　rather　to　lose　the　succession　of　men；
than　to　beget　one。　　'Tis　said；　that　Zeno　never　had　to　do　with　a　woman　but
once　in　his　life；　and　then　out　of　civility；　that　he　might　not　seem　too
obstinately　to　disdain　the　sex。

　　　　　＇Diogenes　Laertius；　vii。　13。　What　is　there　said；　however；　is　that
　　　　　Zeno　seldom　had　commerce　with　boys；　lest　he　should　be　deemed　a　very
　　　　　misogynist。＇

Every　one　avoids　seeing　a　man　born；　every　one　runs　to　see　him　die；　to
destroy　him　a　spacious　field　is　sought　out　in　the　face　of　the　sun；　but；
to　make　him；　we　creep　into　as　dark　and　private　a　corner　as　w